Wednesday, October 30, 2019

Why social network industry has no inventory and large cash in Essay

Why social network industry has no inventory and large cash in balacesheet - Essay Example Lack of need for inventory therefore explains absence of inventory from accounts of companies in the industry. The industry is also profitable, based on trend in technology that makes its products marketable and low costs. These lead to high proceeds and therefore high value of cash and cash equivalents and $ 3.323 million for Facebook in the year ended 2013 and $ 0.841 million for Twitter in the same period are examples. The industry is also oligopolistic, a factor that concentrates proceeds among few players. Consequently, cash and cash equivalents have to be high per player, compared to values in competitive industries in which many players share the markets’ proceeds (Albarran, 2013). The types of products that the industry offers, which do not require inventory for production, maintenance, or delivery explains lack of inventory while high profitability and oligopolistic nature of the industry explains the high value of cash and cash equivalents that firms report in the

Monday, October 28, 2019

Similar Triangles Project Essay Example for Free

Similar Triangles Project Essay Introduction: In this project, I found the height of an object I chose based on how tall one of my partners is, how far away she is from the mirror, and how far the mirror was from the base of one of the objects. From there I set up a proportion and solved for X. X represented the unknown height of the chosen object. Once I figured this out I then converted to feet and compared that to my partners height to see if it was a reasonable or realistic height. Two-Column Proof: |Statements |Reasons | |The triangles are right triangles |Given—Mr. Visser told us that we can assume this | |Triangles are similar |If there exists a correspondence between the vertices of two | | |triangles such that two angles of one triangle are congruent to | | |the corresponding angles of the other, then the triangles are | | |similar. | Conclusion: In this project I learned that you can prove similarity in triangles even if you don’t know all of the angle measures and side measures. I thought it was interesting how in all of my objects my estimation on ratio’s from Dannie to the object, were usually fairly close to what it actually was. I liked in this project how we got to chose the things that we measure so there is variability between each group’s projects. One obstacle I ran into was the two column proof because at first I just couldn’t think of how to start, then I just tried the first thing that came to mind, and it ended up helping.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

LSD (for Chemistry Class) :: essays papers

LSD (for Chemistry Class) Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) LSD), a potent hallucinogenic drug, also called a psychedelic, first synthesized from lysergic acid in Switzerland in l038. Lysergic acid is a white odorless drug, a component of the mold of ERGOT. Ergot is a product of the fungus Claviceps purpurea. Th e bio-active ingredients of ergot are all derivatives of lysergic acid. LSD is a semi-synthetic derivative of lysergic acid. Thus LSD is an "ergot" - like substance. The drug evokes dreamlike changes in mood and thought and alters the perception of time and space. It can also create a feeling of lack of self-control and extreme terror. Lysergic Acid Diethylamide (LSD) also goes by names like: acid, sugar, Blotter, Sugar Cubes, Blue Unicorn, Acid, Cid, Sid, Bart Simpsons, Barrels, Tabs, Blotter, Heaven ly blue, 'L', liquid liquid, Microdots, Mind detergent, Orange cubes, Orange micro, Owsley, Wedding Bells, windowpane, etc. LSD is very potent: the effective dose is measured in micrograms (ug) -- however, the lethal dose is literally thousands of times that, making the drug essentially non-toxic. LSD is non-addictive, and there have been only a few cases of possible overdose where people ingested extremely large amounts of the drug (Alan et al., 1978; Griggs et al,. 1977). LSD can be administered a number of ways, the most common : orally though paper, sugar cubes, on a piece of gelatin, or by pill ; intravenously or intramu scularly. A standard dose with noticeable hallucinogenic effects is about 100-200 ug. The intensity of the trip is proportional to the size of the dose-- it is interesting to note, though, that the duration of the trip seems to stay the same at higher dos es (Freedman, 1984). Physical effects include drowsiness, dizziness, dilated pupils, numbness and tingling, weakness, tremors, and nausea. Transient abnormal thinking induced by LSD, such as a sense of omnipotence or a state of acute paranoia, can result in dangerous behavior. Long-term adverse reactions such as persistent psychosis, prolonged depression, or faulty judgment have also been reported following LSD ingestion but whether these are a direct result of ingestion is difficult to establish. Althoug h LSD is not physiologically addicting, the drug's potent mind-altering effects can lead to chronic use. In the 1960's LSD use was widespread among people who sought to alter and intensify their physical senses; to achieve supposed insights into the unive rse, nature, and themselves; and to intensify emotional connections with others. The drug has been tried as a treatment for infantile autism, for alcoholism, and to accelerate psychotherapy, but no medical use has been established.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

CRT Monitors vs. LCD Monitors Essay -- Compare Contrast Comparison

CRT Monitors vs. LCD Monitors The monitor is likely the most important part of the computer. Without it, you would have no idea what you were doing. Imagine trying to write a term paper, or surf the Internet without one. It would be impossible. While the technology powering the displays doesn’t change as fast as it does for other parts of the computer, there are advances which provide consumers with many choices for displays. Today, the most popular displays come in two types, Cathode Ray Tubes (CRTs) and Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs). CRTs have been around longer, and are the most common due to the fact that they are cheaper. However the convenient size of LCDs along with falling prices has made them a popular choice as of late. This paper will examine the similarities and differences of the two, and try to determine if one is better than the other. The CRT monitors work in a fashion similar to that of standard television sets. An electron gun is mounted at the back of the monitor. The gun fires a steam of electrons in a sweeping motion towards the front of the monitor. The electrons then pass through either an aperture grille, or a shadow mask. These items work to filter the electrons into focused beams onto the front plate. The grill does this via thin vertical wires, while the mask does this with a series of small holes. After passing through the filter, the electrons collide with the screen. The screen is covered with a serried of red, green and yellow phosphors that light up when hit by the electrons. By combining different intensities of the three colors, many different colors and images can be created. While LCDs also create pictures by lighting up red, green and yellow pixels, the ... ...f whether the extra cost of the LCD is worth the space it will save on the desk. After examining the two types of monitors, it seems that they are similar in more aspects than they are different. Over the last few years LCD screens have closed the gap in many of the categories in which the CRT was superior. In most cases, the choice depends on the personal preference of the individual user. For the hard-core gamer or digital artist a CRT may be slightly better due to the faster response time and better color purity. For most consumers the choice of an LCD or CRT monitor will depend on the price issue. While the cost of LCD screens has been declining over the past few years, they are still considerably more expensive that a comparable CRT. However if money isn’t an issue, a slim and sleek looking LCD might be the way to go over the massive CRT behemoths.

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Knowledge, Attitude and Breast Cancer Screening Practices in Ghana Essay

INTRODUCTION   Ã‚   Breast cancer in its simplest definition is the cancer of breast tissue. It is the most common nonskin cancer that affects women in the United States and the highest fatality rates of cancer deaths among women in low-resource countries (Anderson et al 2006). Severity of breast cancer differs based on its level of tissue invasion. Ductal carcinoma in situ is the most common noninvasive breast cancer while infiltrating or invasive ductal carcinoma is the most common breast cancer that accounts for about 80% of invasive breast cancer. Breast lumps presentation is the commonest form of presentation regardless of the breast cancer type (ACS 2005). Epidemiologic factors are attributed to dietary and environmental risk factors, although association of diet and breast cancer had varied results. Environmental risk factors involve the exposure to several toxic elements which accounts for the increased incidence of breast cancer in Western countries. Alcohol intake is also considered to effect in the increase of the number of cases in the US population. Age is also considered as cancer risk factor and can be attributed to hormonal change. Genetic variation and ethnicity are not out of scope for the investigation of breast cancer risk factors (Barton 2005). Diagnosis and Pathology of Breast Cancer: In 2002, Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) together with panel of breast cancer experts and patient advocates develop a consensus of recommendations for the diagnosis of breast cancer in limited-resource countries (Shyyan 2006). Histopathologic diagnosis included fine-needle aspiration biopsy which was recognized as the least expensive, core needle biopsy and surgical biopsy and had a consensus of choosing the method based on the availability of tools and expertise. They gave emphasis on the correlation of histopathology, clinical and imaging findings. They agreed on the need of histopathologic diagnosis before breast cancer treatment. In 2005, BHGI panel recommended an additional strategy of breast cancer management. They stratify diagnostic procedure and histopathology methods into – â€Å"basic, limited, enhanced, and maximal—from lowest to highest resources†. Basic level includes medical history of the patient, clinical breast examination, tissue diagnosis and medical record keeping. Limited level includes the increasing resources that enable diagnostic imaging utilization such as ultrasound with or without mammography, tests that can evaluate metastasis, use of image-guided sampling and hormone receptor sampling. Enhanced level includes diagnostic mammography, bone scanning and an onsite cytologist. Maximal level includes mass screening mammography (Shyyan 2006). Treatment of Breast Cancer: Treatment includes surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy or combinations of these three treatment modalities. According to American Cancer Society (2005), treatment can be local or systemic. Local treatment of the tumor is done without affecting the rest of the body. Surgery and radiation are examples of this treatment. On the other hand, systemic treatment which includes chemotherapy, hormone therapy and immunotherapy, is given into the bloodstream or by mouth to reach the cancer cells that may have spread the beyond the breast.    Radiotherapy is a treatment of breast cancer with high-energy rays to help shrink the cancer cells. It can be given outside of the body (external radiation) or can be placed directly into the tumor as radioactive materials (ACS 2005). It may be given external to the body.   Radiotherapy requires safe and effective application requiring appropriate facilities, staff and equipment. Radiotherapy should be applied without delay, should be accessible to all but without prolongation of the overall treatment time exposure. It is part of an integral part of breast-conserving treatment. It is required in almost all women with the breast cancer, and therefore should be available (Bese 2006).   Ã‚  Chemotherapy is the use of anticancer drugs that are administered through injection in the vein or taken orally as a pill. It may be given before breast cancer surgery to reduce the size of the tumor or may be given after the surgery to reduce the chance of   recurrence (ACS 2005). This treatment is done in cycle the most common of which is 3-6 months. Most common side effects of these drugs usually stop   once the treatment is over such as in hair falling. Some of   drugs used as chemotherapy     are tamoxifen, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil doxorubicin, epirubicin, taxane and aromatase . These are usually prescribed in combination, and treatment is done with adjuvant therapy such as radiotherapy and pre- and post operation ( Eniu 2006).   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Surgical management in breast cancer is very common. This is done to remove as much as the cancer as possible and to find out whether the cancer has spread to the lymph nodes under the arm. Surgery can also restore the appearance of the breast and relieve the symptoms of advanced cancer. ACS (2005) released some of the common surgical procedures in breast cancer. These are lumpectomy, partial or segmental mastectomy, simple or total mastectomy, modified radical mastectomy and radical mastectomy. RESULTS    Breast cancer patients in Ghana. The present study which included women with mean age population of 48 years   revealed an almost consistent perception with regards to breast cancer.  Ã‚   They were aware that breast cancer is highly increasing in their place but not informed of the cause of disease. All of the responders were not aware of family breast cancer history except one. Information about breast cancer was acquired through television and radio programs. Only after   consultation with doctors due to lumps or   pains in their breast and some due to liquid coming out of their breast, that they were informed that they have breast cancer. Most of them underwent breast tissue exam for confirmation of the disease. Afterwards, they were advised to undergo surgery with medical treatment. The responders were ignorant of the breast cancer screening and prevention. In fact, out of 10 responders, only 2 (20%) of them were aware of breast self examination and clinical breast examination and admitted that they occasionally practice BSE. None of the responders knew about mammogram except for one (10%) of them who has heard of it but never had tried one. The feeling towards the knowledge of acquiring the disease was also the same; the feeling of being a burden in the family was common. They were afraid to face the reality but have realized that they have to fight the disease through the encouragement and support of family members and   help of medical professionals. The sample population was aware of the herbalist and faith healers but they did not submit themselves into that kind of treatment because herbalist have not   proven cure for breast cancer.   The most common complaint of the responders was the high cost of therapies, hospitalization and doctor fees. The treatment cost ranged to    ¢250,000- ¢24 million except to one of them who received a free treatment for being enrolled to a clinical trial. Sentiments of the participants were the same. Delay of treatment was attributed to their distant place from the health clinics; some facilities like x-ray were not available in the clinics and   high cost of treatment. These people asked for the betterment of breast cancer management through education dissemination to the community by health care providers and a help from the government to provide financial support to those who cannot afford to submit themselves for treatment. Patients in breast cancer clinic. In this part of the study, women with mean age of 42 years who were in breast cancer clinic were included. Most common medical complaint was lump and pain in the breast while others submit themselves for screening because they have just heard it from the radio/TV.   The study revealed that women who were attending the clinic were not actually informed of the cause breast cancer but aware of its increasing rate of mortality. Misconception about the cause of breast cancer such as exposure to coins was not common but did not exclude the form of trauma due to manipulation of the breast. Others correlate breast cancer with smoking and taking alcoholic beverages. They were not aware of their family history of breast cancer.   Information regarding breast cancer was acquired through television and radio programs and others were through their friends and family members. Most of the respondents believed that early detection and prompt treatment of the disease can prevent the unfavorable outcome of breast cancer such as removal of their breast or the worst would be cancer death. Only one out of   10 participants (10%) actually practice breast self examination (BSE). Most of them were informed of BSE but not actually practicing it. They were also aware of healers and herbalist but they did not believe that they can cure breast cancer but did not disagree of the possibility that herbalist and healers could treat other diseases or illnesses like hypertension. The participants suggested that it would be better if the government would provide or establish more health care clinics for breast cancer screening and provide free screening programs especially to those who cannot afford to   pay for high cost of treatment of the disease and for an open-easy access to all especially to those in rural areas. One of the participants suggested   that doctors should study further about the treatment of breast cancer instead of resorting to breast surgery. Healers involved in breast cancer management. Many of the population of Ghana are still patronizing healers and herbalist as a resort   of treatment. Two healers from Ghana were interviewed regarding their management of breast cancer. The healers have been into this practice for about 20-50 years. According to them, breast cancer is very common in Ghana and they are aware of the increasing incidence of   the disease. They described breast cancer as an â€Å"obosam† disease and the other was a supernatural disease. Healers believed that their ability to cure   the disease inherited from their forefathers who taught them how to prepare herbs and provide them with dwarfs. They believed that doctors have no right treatment towards breast cancer because according to them they just remove the breasts of women   and subsequently die. According to the healers they do not promote breast   examinations to their patients because these are useless and cannot stop women from getting the disease. Despite the big machines available in the hospitals, women with breast cancer still die, according to them. Healers charge their patients with as much as  ¢200,000- ¢1( £15-60) million depending on the patients’ condition. The healers admitted that there were cases of recurrence of the disease due to lost to follow up and missed spiritual sessions. Healers do not refer patients to hospitals rather, they encourage hospital doctors to refer their patients to healers because they are more capable of treating breast cancer. Breast cancer consultants.   Medical health professionals play a significant role in the awareness of breast cancer. They have the power to influence their patients toward right management of the disease. In the present study, surgeon/breast cancer consultants were interviewed. Consultants as expected were aware of the increasing incidence of breast cancer but they cannot give an exact figure due to absence of cancer registry in the place however they were able to attend to 200-300 new cases of breast cancer annually with age range starting from 20 years and above. They revealed that women in Ghana associate breast cancer to death because after undergoing breast caner surgery they usually die. People in Ghana link medical intervention and death which made the women in this place afraid of   the disease and lead them to negative attitude towards the disease. Consultants believed that there were several misconceptions about the disease. They were also aware that healers and herbalist delay the   presentation of patients to   hospital which accounted for the late stage of diagnosis. National Screening Program would benefit the people in Ghana for early detection of breast cancer and prompt treatment, however, they did not deny the fact it would be difficult to establish such program due to lack of funds by the government at present time. Consultants were aware of the limited resources of the needed for the implementation of the program. They believe that it is much easier and feasible to educate the women on simple screening methods such as regular breast self examination and encourage practitioners to take advantage of examining the breasts of their patients. There are also NGOs who are engaged in some activities like providing health care assistance. Consultants revealed that they receive referrals from district regions and from private practitioners. All patients with breast cancer are candidates for surgery. There are just some procedures that lead to untoward incident which cause the people to blame the doctors. According to consultants, one big problem that they encounter is the delay of the result of tissue exam from the pathologists which sometimes lead them to acquire the high cost of private laboratory. According to consultants the 5-year survival rate in Ghan is 25% which is disappointing. According to radiology consultant, patients present themselves to treatment once they are already in advanced stage, most at stage 3 and 4. They revealed the common factors that influence the delay of treatment among Ghana women. Most of the patients were scared of the procedure of   breast cancer treatment like in breast surgery which have many social and marriage implications. The high cost of the procedure hinders the patient to go to the doctors. Consultants revealed that surgical procedure may cost    ¢2-3million   ( £ 150-200), radiotherapy is about    ¢3-4 million (  £ 200-300) and chemotherapy is around  ¢6 million ( £400). Although surgical treatment cost is covered in National Health Insurance, the cost of radiotherapy and chemotherapy are excluded. Mammography which is an effective tool in breast cancer screening costs  ¢400,000 ( £30) in private health institution and around  ¢250,000 ( £20). DISCUSSION WITH REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURES   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The present study aimed to increase the awareness of the women in Ghana to breast cancer and the benefits that can be gained from breast cancer screening. The knowledge, attitude, behavior and practices of the women regarding early detection of breast cancer were analyzed. The ultimate aim of the study was to reduce the mortality rate of   breast cancer.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The study revealed that there were still misconceptions about breast cancer despite the information gathered from televisions and radio programs. Attendance of Ghanaian women in breast clinic did not mean that they were informed of the nature of their disease. Only few of them were also aware of preventive procedure in detecting breast cancer. Local healers and spiritualists also delayed the presentation of the patients to the hospital which contributed to the late diagnosis of the disease. Difference in the disease management of health professionals can be attributed to the location of practice and availability of resources. Several factors   thought to affect the breast cancer screening program were the poor education of the Ghanaian towards prevention awareness against breast cancer; lack of initiative of the people to spread the knowledge of   breast cancer screening such as simple breast self examination and clinical breast examination; the inaccessibility of the of primary health care and the organizers; the unavailability of the appropriate screening tools like x-ray and mammography in the community and its high cost   and the lack of support from the government.   The following   review of related literatures will help in the understanding of breast cancer and breast cancer screening. Because of the continuous increasing prevalence of breast cancer and high cost of treatment, breast cancer screening remains the most cost effective way of cancer management (Parkin and Fernandez 2006).   Most of the world faces resource constraints that hinder the capacity to improve early detection, prompt diagnosis and sufficient treatment of the breast cancer. Every country finds its way to develop evidenced based, economically feasible and culturally appropriate guidelines that can be utilized by countries of limited health care resources to improve breast cancer outcomes (Anderson 2006). Adaptive strategies should be applied to ease the growing burden of breast cancer. In 2005, according to Smith and his colleagues (2006), the Breast Health Global Initiative (BHGI) held its second summit in Bethesda, MD with the intention of reaffirming the principle of requiring all women of all resource levels to support in seeking health care and assuring the access to affordable and appropriate diagnostic tests and treatment intervention against breast cancer. They recommended breast health awareness to all women including the basic resources. They enhanced the basic facilities for effective training of relevant staff in clinical breast examination (CBE) or breast self examination and even the feasibility of mammography. MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging is one of the breast cancer screening procedures. It has been increasingly used as tool for early diagnosis of breast cancer. This screening tool has shown to detect cancers even they are small and potentially proven to be more curable than mammography alone. However, MRI is more costly than mammography and can lead to unnecessary breast biopsies, thus causing anxiety and discomfort to patient. On the other hand, a research study about the cost-effectiveness of breast MRI screening by cancer risk where they included the cancer detection ability of MRI, characteristics of women with dense breast tissue and women with high inherited breast cancer risk, revealed mortality reduction and cost effectiveness of breast MRI screening added to mammography in BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carriers (Kurian 2006).    The hallmark of morality and morbidity of breast cancer can be attributed to the late presentation of the patients at an advanced stage of breast cancer. It is when there is no or little benefit that can be derived from any treatment modality. In a study conducted by Okobia and colleagues (2006), the knowledge, attitude and practice of community dwellers of Nigeria towards breast cancer were analyzed. They recruited urban-dwelling women with conducted an interviewer-administered questionnaires to elicit sociodemographic information regarding knowledge, attitude and practice towards breast cancer. It was found out that the participants had poor knowledge of breast cancer. Only 214 out of 1000 participants knew that breast cancer is presented initially with breast lumps. Breast cancer examination practices were low. Only 432 participants were able carry out breast self examination while only 91 participants had clinical breast examination. This study revealed that participants with higher level of education were significantly more knowledgeable about breast cancer. Ethnicity or race-related culture and beliefs are factors that affect the increase in prevalence of breast cancer mortality. Paterniti (2006) investigated how ethnically diverse women who are eligible for tamoxifen prophylaxis because of their breast cancer risk decide about tamoxifen use for risk reduction. Prior to the study, there was discussion of the benefits and risks of tamoxifen as prophylaxis. The study which included African-American, White, and Latina women, of 61–78 years, revealed that fear of breast cancer was not prominent and they were not inclined to take tamoxifen as preventive therapy after receiving the information. Participants showed limited unwillingness to take the medication with potential adverse effects. This study revealed that women felt that they had other options other than taking the risk of tamoxifen to reduce their risk of breast cancer, including early detection, diet, faith and other alternative therapies.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Graham (2002) conducted a research about   the relationship between beliefs and practice of breast self examination (BSE in a black women population of 20-49 years of age. It was found out that health beliefs were much stronger in determining BSE performance for a given individual than were demographic characteristics. Breast self examination was related to increased perceived seriousness of breast cancer, benefit of the procedure and health motivation and was noted to have inverse relationship with perceived barriers. A related study was reported by Mitchell and colleagues (2002), about the effects of religious beliefs with other variables on breast cancer screening and the intended presentation of self-discovered breast lump. This study included women aging 40 years and above and were interviewed in their homes. Most of the interviewees believed that doctors cure breast cancer with God’s intervention which was labeled as â€Å"religious intervention with treatment†. This dimension was found out to be correlated with self-reported mammography but no clinical breast examination or intention to delay presentation of self-discovered breast lump. Minority of them believed treatment of breast cancer was unnecessary because only God could cure the disease which was labeled as â€Å"religious intervention in place of treatment†, and was significantly more common among African-American women who   are less educated and older. This was correlated with the strong intention of delaying the presentation of self-discovered breast lump. It was concluded that   religious intervention in place of treatment contributes significantly the delay presentation of breast cancer among African-American that contribute largely to the advanced-stage cancer diagnosis. The cause of breast cancer is still unclear. Adjei (2006) who grew up in Ghan and had some work about breast cancer. In his letter, he revealed his sentiments about the genetic differences in breast cancer. He had been aware of the incidence of breast cancer in Ghana since 1974 to 1999. He noted that the peak incidence of breast cancer in Ghana is in younger women with age range of 40-45 years while in United States and Caucasians, the peak incidence is in older age groups. Adjei (2006) pointed out that women of different places and environments, with different diets have similar epidemiology of breast cancer. In an argument which revealed number of breast cancer in African-Americans but rare in native African has been used to suggest that ethnicity is one factor of acquiring the disease, however, according to Adjei (2006), this information is leading because cancer has not been well-studied in Africa. Researchers are still finding their ways to fully disclose the correlation of genetic signature in breast tumors that are presently noted   to be a powerful predictor of cancer spread and cancer death. In a limited study conducted by Kolata (2002), she included few patients who are relatively. As she stated in her report, scientists said that the activity of a collection of 70 genes appear to predict cancer mortality   better than traditional measures like tumor size, cancer stage or lymph node spread to the axilla of women. She revealed in her study that 5.5% of women with good genetic signature died within the next decade while 45% of women are those of with bad genetic signatures. Adherence to the treatment regimen of breast cancer plays a big role in the improvement of disease outcome. There are no much literature about the factors associated to the behavior that influence the patient to delay or cause an incomplete adherence to the recommended follow up in patients with breast cancer. In a study conducted by Kaplan (2006), race/ethnicity, country of birth, financial issues fear of pain and difficulty of communicating with the healthcare providers are the barriers to seek follow up consultation Breast Cancer Screening: There was decline in breast cancer mortality rate of 0.9% in African American women while 2.1% was the decline in breast cancer mortality rate in non-Hispanic White women (Stewart et al 2004 as stated by Settersten , Dopp, and Tjoe, (2005).    On the contrary, De Koning (2000), questioned in his study the cost effectiveness of breast cancer screening. His idea came out when he analyzed his expectations of the reduction of breast cancer mortality after breast cancer screening. He stated in his study that the Dutch program of 2-yearly screening for women aged 50-70 would produce a 16% reduction in the total population. As stated in his research paper, the actual benefit that can be achieved from breast cancer screening programs is overstated. According to him breast cancer screening need to be carefully balanced against the burden to women and health care system. De Koning (2000) stated that â€Å"effects of breast cancer screening program depend on many factors such as epidemiology of the disease, the health care system, costs of health care, quality of the screening program and the attendance rate†. Groot, M. T. et al (2006) estimated the costs and health effects of breast cancer interventions in epidemiologically different regions of Africa, North America and Asia. They developed a mathematical simulation model of breast cancer using the different stages of cancer, its distribution and case fatality rates in the absence and presence of treatment as predictors of survival. The study resulted to a conclusion that untreated patients were the most sensitive to case fatality rates. This study suggest that treating breast cancer at stage 1 and introduction of an extensive breast cancer program are the most cost effective breast cancer interventions.   Ã‚   This study is supported by the research done by Aylin and colleagues (2005). They recruited women at the mammography clinic to evaluate the knowledge about breast cancer and mammography as breast cancer screening procedure. The striking result of this study is that most of the participants (95.3% of the total participants) were aware that women should have mammography screening periodically. They were informed of the fact that breast cancer screening such as mammography could help in the early detection of breast cancer. However, less than 50% of them admitted that they had never had mammography screening. Majority of the respondents (71.1%) were practicing breast self-examination. Another related study was conducted by Dundar and colleagues (2006), since breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Turkey , they determined the t the knowledge and attitudes of women in a rural area in western Turkey about breast self examination and mammography. They recruited women with age ranging from 20-64 years. Although majority of the participants have heard or read about breast cancer only 56.1% of them had sufficient knowledge about breast cancer and some admitted that they acquired the information from their health care professionals. Those with information of beast cancer were also those who practice breast self examination. This study revealed that health care professionals play a big role in information dissemination about breast cancer. Table 1. Recommendations for routine mammographic screening in North American women aged 40 years or older who are at average risk for breast cancer* Group (date of recommendations) Frequency of screening (yr) Included ages (yr)       40-49 50-69 >70 Government-sponsored and private groups US Preventive Services Task Force (2002)** 1-2 Yes Yes Yes*** Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care (1998, 1999, 2001) 1-2 No Yes No National Institutes of Health consensus conference (1997)    No+ — — American Cancer Society (1997) 1 Yes Yes Yes National Cancer Institute (2002) 1-2 Yes Yes Yes Medical societies American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2000) 1-2 if aged 40-49 yr 1 if aged >50 yr Yes Yes Yes American Medical Association (1999) 1 Yes Yes Yes American College of Radiology (1998) 1 Yes Yes Yes American College of Preventive Medicine (1996) 1-2 No|| Yes Yes American Academy of Family Physicians (2001) 1-2 No+|| Yes No American Geriatrics Society (1999) 1-2 — — Yes*** Advocacy groups National Breast Cancer Coalition (2000)    No –+ No National Alliance of Breast Cancer Organizations (2002) 1 Yes Yes Yes Susan B. Komen Foundation (2002) 1 Yes Yes Yes The above table   was taken from the study conducted by Barton (2005) There are several ways presented and studied for breast cancer screening. Its concern is to reduce the prevalence of cancer mortality and to improve the quality of life as a result of early detection, however, there are still people that are not aware of breast cancer screening In response to increase the worldwide awareness of breast cancer, breast cancer advocacy movement has been analyzing the common experiences of women with breast cancer around the world especially those with limited resources. They found out that although there are language barriers, sentiments were consistent across cultures; cancer survivors have the same experiences and fears. The beliefs and taboos about breast cancer hinder the awareness programs and treatment. There are also limited resources for public education and awareness. Difficulty in understanding and translating the concept of the disease into English also hinders them in the public awareness of breast cancer (Errico and Rowden 2006). In accordance with this, sociological review of the barriers experienced by the women from different traditional cultures is essential not just to understand patterns of late breast cancer diagnosis but also the importance of interventions and programs. This is necessary for them to understand the preventive health care, specifically in breast cancer. This is because many are still ignorant of the breast cancer. According to Remennick (2006), health care providers and policymakers should try to understand and influence women especially those who are cancer risk to be aware of the disease to detect and treat breast cancer early. There are many structural barriers that hinder women especially those living in rural areas. Socioeconomic factors include poor health insurance, distance to medical facilities and inability to take time off work. Organizational barriers include difficulty in navigating complex health care systems and interacting with medical staff. Psychological and sociocultural barriers are poor health motivation, denial of personal risk, fatalism mistrust of cancer treatments and fear of becoming a burden on the family members. Still in other cultural behavior, especially in Muslims, women are strongly controlled by men and therefore may prohibit women in breast cancer screening. Remennick (2006) includes in his study the different approaches that lower the mentioned barriers, including implementation of uplifting the educational programs that would enlighten people regarding cancer myths and fallacies. He suggests that health care professional must outreach to their co ethnics. Primary health care providers play a critical role in   determining the compliance with treatment and preventive practices through direct recommendations to their patients. Family physicians and general internists showed that 70% of women who received a provider referral completed a screening mammography within one year versus only 18% of self-referred women (Grady   et al 1997 as stated by Santora 2003). However, Over 90% of rural women report that a doctor’s recommendation to have breast cancer screening is â€Å"important† (Sparks et al 1996 as stated by Santora 2003). It should be noted that clinician compliance is contributed by several factors such as relation with provider, guideline of the treatment, patient’s behavior and environmental factors. Several studies have been conducted to report the   differences of health services in rural, urban and suburban areas with regards to their   health care services in the family practice clinics. It has been pointed out that lower utilization has been a significant factor. Those rural health practitioners have less access to health care services.   In a study done by   Pol and his colleagues (2001), suggested that rural health services do not lag for patients with access after revealing that 9 out of 16 services examined were as high or higher in rural areas. Another   study to examine the variations in breast cancer screening among primary care clinicians by geographic location of   clinical practice was done by Santora (2003). Physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants were included in the study and were classified into urban, rural and suburban categories based upon practice location. The study revealed that although there was no significant difference in the practice location, there was evident variation in the practice of   breast screening. It was reported that urban and suburban health practitioners were less compliant with the use of breast cancer guidelines as compared to clinicians in rural areas.   Primary care clinicians, including physicians, nurse practitioners and physician’s assistants lack a consistent. This study revealed   that geographical location is not the main factor of inconsistent medical approach to breast cancer screening. Although the difference in the approaches to the procedure is uncertain in this study. A related study about General Practitioners’ (GP’s) knowledge, beliefs and attitudes toward breast screening, and their association with practice based-organizations of breast cancer screening, was conducted by Bekker, Morrisona and Marteau (1999). This study revealed that women’s attendance for breast cancer screening may be increased due to raising GP’s perceptions of the   threat of breast cancer. General practitioners addressed their concerns about the procedure and enhanced their views on the importance of primary health care in breast cancer screening programs. REFERENCE Adjei, A. A., 2006, â€Å"A final word about genetic differences†, American Association for Cancer Research, Available at http://www.aacr.org/page4444.aspx. American Cancer Society 2005, Available at: http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_1X_What_is_breast_cancer_5.asp Anderson, B. O. et al, 2006, â€Å"BREAST HEALTH GLOBAL INITIATIVE Breast Cancer in Limited-Resource Countries: An Overview of the Breast Health Global Initiative 2005 Guidelines†, The Breast Journal, vol 12 no. 1, pp. S3–S15. Aylin et al, 2004, â€Å"Knowledge about breast cancer and mammography in breast cancer screening among women awaiting mammography†, Turkey Medical Journal Science, vol 35, pp 35-42, Available at http://journals.tubitak.gov.tr/medical/issues/sag-05-35-1/sag-35-1-6-0409-8.pdf Bakken, S. 2002, Acculturation, knowledge, beliefs, and preventive health care practices regarding breast care in female Chinese immigrants in New York metropolitan area. Barton, M. B. 2005, â€Å"Breast cancer screening: benefits, risks and current controversies, Symposium on Women’s Health, vol 118 no 2, pp. 27-36, Available at http://www.postgradmed.com/issues/2005/08_05/barton.htm Bekker, H., Morrisona, L. and Marteau, T. 1999, â€Å"Breast screening: GPs’ beliefs, attitudes and practices†, Family Practice, vol 16 no. 1, pp.60-65, Available at   http://fampra.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/full/16/1/60 Bese, N.S. 2006, â€Å"ORIGINAL ARTICLE: LIMITED-RESOURCE INTERVENTIONS Radiotherapy for Breast Cancer in Countries with Limited Resources: Program Implementation and Evidence-Based Recommendations†, The Breast Journal, vol 12 no. 1, pp. S96–S102. De Koning, H. J., 2000, â€Å"Breast cancer screening; cost-effective in practice?†, European Journal of Radiology, vol 33 no. 1, pp. 32-37, Available at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10674787&dopt=Abstract Dà ¼ndar et al, 2006, â€Å"The knowledge and attitudes of breast self-examination and mammography in a group of women in a rural area in western Turkey†, BMC Cancer vol 6 no 43, Available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/6/43 Eniu, A. 2006, â€Å"BREAST HEALTH GLOBAL INITIATIVE Breast Cancer in Limited-Resource Countries: Treatment and Allocation of Resources†, The Breast Journal, vol 12 no. 1, pp. S38–S53 Errico, K. M. and Rowden, D. 2006. â€Å"Sociocultural barriers to care, Experiences of breast cancer survivor- Advocates and advocates in the countries with limited resources: a shared journey in breast cancer advocacy†, The Breast Journal, vol 12 no. 1, pp. S111–S116 Graham, M. E. 2002, â€Å"Health beliefs and self breast examination in black women†, Journal of Cultural Diversity, Available at http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0MJU/is_2_9/ai_93610993 Groot, M. T. et al, 2006, â€Å"ORIGINAL ARTICLE: GLOBAL EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS Costs and Health Effects of Breast Cancer Interventions in Epidemiologically Different Regions of Africa, North America, and Asia†, The Breast Journal, vol 12 no. l. pp. S81–S90. Kaplan, C. P. 2006, â€Å"Barriers to Breast Abnormality Follow-up: Minority, Low-Income Patients’ and Their Providers’ View†, Ethnicity & Disease , vol. 15 no. 4, pp. 720–726, Available at http://apt.allenpress.com/aptonline/?request=get-abstract&issn=1049-510X&volume=015&issue=04&page=0720. Kolata, G. 2002, â€Å"Breast Cancer: Genes Are Tied to Death Rates†, SusanLoveMD.org, Available at http://www.susanlovemd.com/community/flashes/in-the-news/news021219.htm Kurian, A., 2006, â€Å"Cost-effectiveness of Breast MRI Screening by Cancer Risk†, Available at http://www.cbcrp.org/research/PageGrant.asp?grant_id=4018 Mitchell, J. et al. 2002, â€Å"Religious Beliefs and Breast Cancer Screening†, Journal of Women’s Health, vol 11 no 10, pp.   907-915 Okobia et al, 2006, â€Å"Knowledge, attitude and practice of Nigerian women towards breast cancer: A cross- Sectional study†, World Journal of Surgical Oncology, vol 4 no 11, Available at http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1397833 Parkin, M. D. and Fernandez, L. M., 2006, â€Å"ORIGINAL ARTICLE: GLOBAL EPIDEMIOLOGIC METHODS Use of Statistics to Assess the Global Burden of Breast Cancer†, The Breast Journal, vol 12 no. 1, pp. S70–S80. Paterniti, A. D. 2006, â€Å"â€Å"I’m Going To Die of Something Anyway†: Women’s Perceptions of Tamoxifen for Breast Cancer Risk Reduction†, Ethnicity & Disease, vol. 15 no. 3, pp. 365–372, Available at http://apt.allenpress.com/aptonline/?request=get-abstract&issn=1049-510X&volume=015&issue=03&page=0365. Pol, L. G. et al, 2001, â€Å"Rural, urban and suburban comparisons of preventive services in family practice clinics†, Journal of Rural Health, vol 17 no 2, pp 114-121. Reichenbach, L., 2002, â€Å"The Politics of Priority Setting for Reproductive Health: Breast and Cervical Cancer in Ghana†, Reproductive Health Matters, vol 10 no 20, pp. 47-58. Remennick, L. 2006, â€Å"ORIGINAL ARTICLE: SOCIOCULTURAL BARRIERS TO CARE The Challenge of Early Breast Cancer Detection among Immigrant and Minority Women in Multicultural Societies†, The Breast Journal, vol 12 no 1, pp. S103–S110. Rimer, B. R. 1995, Adherence to Cancer Screening, Available at https://www.moffitt.usf.edu/pubs/ccj/v2n6/article4.html Santora, L M. 2003, â€Å"Breast cancer screening beliefs by practice location†, BMC Public Health, vol 3 no 9, Available at http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2458/3/9. Settersten, L., Dopp, A. and Tjoe, J., 2005, â€Å"Breast cancer epidemiology: Myths and science†, Available at http://www.son.wisc.edu/ce/programs/asynch/bccd/1-introduction.htm. Shyyan, R. et al, 2006, â€Å"BREAST HEALTH GLOBAL INITIATIVE: Breast Cancer in Limited-Resource Countries: Diagnosis and Pathology†. The Breast Journal, vol 12 no.1, pp. S27–S37. Smith, R. A. et al, 2006, â€Å"BREAST HEALTH GLOBAL INITIATIVE: Breast Cancer in Limited-Resource Countries: Early Detection and Access to Care†, The Breast Journal, vol 12 no.1, pp. S16–S26. Wallace, L. S. and Gupta, R. 2003, â€Å"Predictors of Screening for Breast and Colorectal Cancer among Middle-aged Women†, Family Medicine Journal, vol 35 no 5, pp. 349-354 †Weight Gain a Big Factor in Postmenopausal Breast Cancer†, 2006, Journal of the American Medical Association, Available at http://www.aphroditewomenshealth.com/news/20060612001144_health_news.shtml Yip, C. H. et al, 2006, â€Å"BREAST HEALTH GLOBAL INITIATIVE: Breast Cancer in Limited-Resource Countries: Health Care Systems and Public Policy†, The Breast Journal, vol 12 no. 1, pp. S54–S69.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Prohibition and Organized Crime essays

Prohibition and Organized Crime essays In October 1919, congress voted and approved the ratification of the Eighteenth Amendment by thirty-six states and turned it into law as the National Prohibition Act of 1920 just one year later. This amendment prohibited the manufacture, sale, transport, import or export of alcoholic beverages. The Eighteenth Amendment is comprised of three main sections: 1. After one year from the ratification of this article the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors within, the importation thereof into, or the exportation thereof from the United States and all territory subject to the jurisdiction thereof for beverage purposes is hereby prohibited 2. The Congress and the several states shall have concurrent power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. 3. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of the several states, as provided in the Constitution, within seven years from the date of the submission hereof to the states by the Congress. So how did it happen? How did a liberty loving people decide to give up a private right that had been used by millions all over the country since the first settlers arrived? Why would they solicit the extinction of the fifth largest industry in the nation? Interestingly enough, why would the new Eighteenth Amendment be the first to restrict citizens when the first seventeen limited government? Now there were two exceptions to the great Amendments: you couldnt buy alcohol and you couldnt own slaves. 2. Prohibition changed the way people lived and in the end redefined the role of government and how it began to dictate the lives of its constituents. Big Brother is not a recent phenomenon but one that began almost one hundred years ago during the time of Prohibition. George Washington himself was quoted as saying The benefits arising from moderate ...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Public Education

Adults remember† how tough it when they were in school,† but growing evidence supports the public’s position that school, while getting easier, ignores the increasing knowledge base needed to compete in a high tech marketplace. Parents and taxpayers see falling test scores, inclusion, affective learning, self – esteem training, and values clarification lessons as proof that schools are not teaching as much material as they used to. Furthermore, they believe the material being taught is not as difficult as it should be. Parents and taxpayers demand that â€Å"basic skills† regain the attention of educators. They wonder how a person who lacks the skill to complete an employment application managed to graduate from a public high school. This is a strong perception in the community, one educator would be unwise to dismiss as â€Å"hate mongering from the radical right.† The lack of academic standards in the public schools is profound. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1930;† most of the 1 million white illiterates and 2 million black illiterates were people over the age of 50 who had never been to school. By 1990, 30 to 35 million American citizens could not read. Most are people under 50 who have been to school for at least eight years†(Wood, 1992,p.51). In response to these problems Noble prizewinning economist Milton Friedman developed a plan that, though a radical departure from the status quo, would empower parents as well as quality educators. The idea is to set up a sort of free market system of education: parents shop for the school they want, which receives that child’s portion of the school budget (7,000 in New Jersey, for example). The schools that are picked must improve to compete or else close their doors (Tashman 1992). Gary Rosen, an associate editor of Commentary, examines the criticisms of public education and argues that vouchers and choice are well suited to correct its deficiencies without dama... Free Essays on Public Education Free Essays on Public Education Adults remember† how tough it when they were in school,† but growing evidence supports the public’s position that school, while getting easier, ignores the increasing knowledge base needed to compete in a high tech marketplace. Parents and taxpayers see falling test scores, inclusion, affective learning, self – esteem training, and values clarification lessons as proof that schools are not teaching as much material as they used to. Furthermore, they believe the material being taught is not as difficult as it should be. Parents and taxpayers demand that â€Å"basic skills† regain the attention of educators. They wonder how a person who lacks the skill to complete an employment application managed to graduate from a public high school. This is a strong perception in the community, one educator would be unwise to dismiss as â€Å"hate mongering from the radical right.† The lack of academic standards in the public schools is profound. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 1930;† most of the 1 million white illiterates and 2 million black illiterates were people over the age of 50 who had never been to school. By 1990, 30 to 35 million American citizens could not read. Most are people under 50 who have been to school for at least eight years†(Wood, 1992,p.51). In response to these problems Noble prizewinning economist Milton Friedman developed a plan that, though a radical departure from the status quo, would empower parents as well as quality educators. The idea is to set up a sort of free market system of education: parents shop for the school they want, which receives that child’s portion of the school budget (7,000 in New Jersey, for example). The schools that are picked must improve to compete or else close their doors (Tashman 1992). Gary Rosen, an associate editor of Commentary, examines the criticisms of public education and argues that vouchers and choice are well suited to correct its deficiencies without dama...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Worlds Apart essays

Worlds Apart essays In the chapter titled Worlds Apart I believe the author is trying to portray the many differences between the old and new world that would drastically affect the joining. With differences in religion, behavior, and way of life misunderstandings were inevitable. One of the many differences in culture between America and Europe is the Native Americans lived more for survival where Europeans were striving for power and domination. Europes strong belief in Christianity was another way to dominate the new world. Europeans believed in one god, having a place to worship and a written bible. The Native Americans had no written religion only oral, and believed in a variety of gods. They also believed the stars, plants, and animals possessed spiritual powers. Native American women held positions of power and played a larger role in day-to-day living, which the European society did not agree with. They believed in men dominating political and economic life. With the many differences in culture it led to many misunderstandings between the Europeans and Native Americans. Europeans were far more technologically advanced and saw such differences in the Native American practices and customs that they thought them to be inferior. Because the Native Americans did not have a written bible or a place to worship the Europeans thought they had no religion. They believed them to be magicians or witches, and that they may worship the devil. Another difference between the Europeans and the natives was the Europeans saw the Native American men to be lazy because the women had a lot of responsibilities such as tending to crops, taking care of children, make clothing, and baskets. They also seemed to be more equal in the community because they held positions of power. The men dominated women in the European society. Due to the differences in cultural background and way of life the Native Americans and the Europeans faced man...

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Republic Polytechnic Case Study Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Republic Polytechnic Case Study - Assignment Example Implementation of an ERP in any organization involves a life cycle from the decision to adopt it to successful roll out, with discernible implementation phases as characterized by the key stakeholders, typical activities, associated challenges and outcomes. Four broad phases can be discerned based on this framework. They are planning, configuration, testing and actual implementation (Kumar, Maheshwari and Kumar 2003, pp. 795). Other authors present the phases as involving planning, implementation, stabilization and improvement (Markus and Tanis 2000, pp.173-207: Shanks et al. 2000, pp. 2). In the case of Republic Polytechnic’s ERP, the latter framework is seen in action thus forming this paper’s line of discussion.The first stage that was undertaken in RP’s implementation of the ERP is planning. RP needed an Enterprise System that was able to support two considerations. These include their problem-based learning pedagogy and their commitment to an IT strategy tha t would render the campus paperless for faster, efficient and cost-effective processes. RP set out on an outsourcing path for the vendor of an enterprise-wide e-learning management system that would provide a package which could suit RP’s mission and strategic direction. All relevant stakeholders were involved in finding such a vendor, flexible enough to allow for the heavy customization that was necessary for RP’s strategy, to be rolled out dubbed LEO (Learning Environment Online). This step involved two representatives from RP.... o allow for the heavy customization that was necessary for RP’s strategy, finally leading to settling on Wizlearn Pte Limited and their Academic Version 7 package. Post-purchase tailoring was the next step aimed at customizing the vendor’s product to RP’s needs in the system to be rolled out dubbed LEO (Learning Environment Online). This step involved two representatives from RP. These are OAA (Officer of Academic Affairs) and OIS (Officer of Information Systems) and an external IS team from the vendor all of whom liaised together and held discussions that finally resulted in a heavily customized product plan ready to be rolled out. The next phase after the planning part was actual implementation of the settled upon system, done a few weeks before the opening of the school term. The system that was rolled out provided an optimum system for RP and her staff although it was not exactly like they had envisioned as it had not accommodated all their views. Stabilizati on was the next phase for the system. Although the roll out had determined that there would be no need for training of RP staff, it was still necessary to provide basic training on the core features of the LEO. In a similar fashion, the students were trained on a basic general IT course and then given a few lessons on the core features of the LEO by the facilitators. The last phase of RP’s implementation of their ERP was improvement. This involved addition of the features that had been suggested in the planning stage but had been left out in implementation. More improvements on the ERP were based on suggestions from three sources; the top management, the facilitators and the development team itself, with additional suggestions being drawn from the students. The LEO manager determined which improvements

Friday, October 18, 2019

Hayek's Economic Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Hayek's Economic Theory - Essay Example history. The Hayekian business-cycle theory is a fusion of the Austrian theories regarding money, capital as well as prices, generally conceptualized as the Austrian theory of business cycles, which itself was based on Mises’ theory of money and credit (Boeettke, 1992). The Austrian theory of trade cycles was inspired by Knut Wicksell’s contributions on the relationship between money and interest while Ludwig von Mises became the first economist to bring together Wicksell’s monetary dynamics with Bohm-Bawerk’s capital theory, which led to the first Australian trade-cycle theory. Hayek developed and made the theory official while reinforcing it with insights from David Ricardo and John Stuart Mill in 1967. Generally, Hayek argues that any monetary disturbance such as an increase in the stock of money reduces the interest rates to levels below the equilibrium thereby stimulating an increase in capital and reallocation of resources in the manufacture of intermediate (capital) goods rather than consumption goods (White, 1999). Consequently, this triggers a rise in the cost of capital goods and a subsequent drop in the price of capital goods, and later the entire structure of the production system, which entails the conversion of raw products into finished products for utilization by consumers, is completely shifted (Zera, 2013). In that respect, the Hayekian Economy theory demonstrates how a monetary disruption can prompt an inter-temporal disco-ordination in economic activities, the manner in which the disco-ordination eventually becomes recognized and addressed through money-induced disco-ordination. Hayek conceptualizes that the injection of new money through credit markets inhibits the level of interest thereby inducing an inter-temporal misallocation of resources, thus, leading to the production of capital goods that are

Commercial Banking in the 1980's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Commercial Banking in the 1980's - Essay Example was relatively fragmented in nature as there were different and often contradictory laws that were put in place to basically govern the commercial banking sector of the country. This era of fragmented laws however, allowed banks to remain profitable as under regulations they were specifically given the different products and services to sell rather than allowing them freely to engage themselves into activities that were more speculative in nature. This was also due to the fact that a mismatch between the different regulatory environments of the country allowed commercial banks to basically insulate themselves against the different economic shocks as their overall scope was limited through these regulations. For example, under special legislative process, banks were given the monopoly over certain products such as checking accounts which basically restricted other financial institutions to float any such product. Further, the legislations also allowed the banks to avoid direct competi tion as there were restrictions on the inter-state opening of the branches. It is also critical to understand that the banks were specifically restricted to offer interest rates on the checking accounts thus restricting them to engage into price wars and keep themselves under restricted conditions so as to basically allow all the banks to operate at even terms. The era before 1980s was therefore an era which basically restricted the encroachment of other institutions to take over the role of banks thus allowing banks to compete among themselves rather than competing with a variety of other financial institutions thus increasing the overall competition within the industry. The era after 1980s and up to 1999 was an era which made a swift transition from the above sets of regulations and as such the overall position enjoyed by the banks were taken over and as a result many banks failed and insolvencies increased. This has been the result of gradual changes in the regulations which

Thursday, October 17, 2019

Food and Wine Festivals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Food and Wine Festivals - Essay Example The festivals gather a sum of wide advantages in the life of an individual as well as the concerned state or region. The festivals give way for popularity and fast reaching among the people of different nations. It gives a wide communal experience not only to those indigenous people but also to the visitors. The visitors will find similarities as well as dissimilarities that exist between their festivals and the festivals of other regions. Local festivals pave way for an effective globalization and uniqueness in the locality could also be reached. Festivals turn everyday routine life to a special day mixed with different events such eating, dancing, singing, and drinking. As a result food and wine have become a common factor in all kinds of festivals. This seems to give immense pleasure not only to visitors but also to the inhabitants. This has helped a lot in spreading wine culture. Various festivals show that has to say that festival tourist is the high spending tourist that those who Come just for viewing the landscapes. Festivals help in strengthening tourism season. The commerce of a region is generated by festivals in terms of the rate of tickets, number of tickets sold and the travel expense which a visitor is likely to spend. The local government receives special attention during festival seasons. A festival attracts investors, tourists, participants, sponsors as well media and this will finally lend more profit to the local government. The 2003 national survey of the state of affairs in cultural life shows that 10 million people participated and were among the age group between 14-70. The economically consolidated country takes more chance in festivals in a large amount.

Models in Today's Business Worlds Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Models in Today's Business Worlds - Term Paper Example Modeling and simulation emerged as a result of their use in the manufacturing systems however, over the period of time, their use has been extended into different areas thus allowing a larger base of business problems to be analyzed and explored with the help of these techniques. Business modeling is now widely used in the financial services sector where it is not only being used to develop some strategic level alternatives but also to perform the credit analysis of the counterparties as well as assessing the risks of different decisions. Business modeling and simulation techniques therefore can greatly increase the overall process of decision making and provide management a range of alternatives and their impact on the firm value in the short as well as in long run. This paper will attempt to discuss what business modeling and simulation is how it is being used by the businesses nowadays and how it can really help improve the business. Modeling and Simulation Simulation can be used to represent some or all of the key characteristics or behaviors of some real of physical object or event. In order to understand the overall process of simulation and modeling, it is important to explore the system methodology which is used to explore what the system is and how simulation and modeling can actually describe a system. System is considered as something which exists in time and space whereas model is a simplified version of a system which attempt to promote the overall understanding of a real system. Simulation however, is the manipulation of the model in order to compress it so that one can be enabled to perceive the interactions of the system with the different situations. A system is therefore considered as an entity which maintains its overall existence when different parts of the system interact with each other. Model however, is just the representation of the whole system or different parts of it. (Bellinger, 2004) The above definition and explanation therefore s uggests that the modeling and simulation is an attempt to develop a level of understanding of either the whole system or parts of it. Simulation is also often considered as the computer version of the model to define the range of outcomes which may be achieved through the different assumed interactions. It is important to note that modeling and simulation are considered as an art as well as a science also because the overall improvement in the use and development of different models under different scenarios can only be achieved through the practice. This is therefore considered as an art because the ability to develop the understanding of how to build realistic models and simulate them can only improve when one practices it under different realistic scenarios. (Greasley, 2004) Organizations use both the simulation as well as the modeling in different manners in order to achieve different objectives. Following section will discuss some of the ways as to how the businesses actually u se both the modeling and simulation. How businesses use simulation and modeling? There is a widespread use of both the simulation as well as the modeling techniques in the businesses across different industries. The initial use of these techniques were only limited to the manufacturing activities however, over the period of time, the overall range of use of such techniques have increased. Some of

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

Food and Wine Festivals Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Food and Wine Festivals - Essay Example The festivals gather a sum of wide advantages in the life of an individual as well as the concerned state or region. The festivals give way for popularity and fast reaching among the people of different nations. It gives a wide communal experience not only to those indigenous people but also to the visitors. The visitors will find similarities as well as dissimilarities that exist between their festivals and the festivals of other regions. Local festivals pave way for an effective globalization and uniqueness in the locality could also be reached. Festivals turn everyday routine life to a special day mixed with different events such eating, dancing, singing, and drinking. As a result food and wine have become a common factor in all kinds of festivals. This seems to give immense pleasure not only to visitors but also to the inhabitants. This has helped a lot in spreading wine culture. Various festivals show that has to say that festival tourist is the high spending tourist that those who Come just for viewing the landscapes. Festivals help in strengthening tourism season. The commerce of a region is generated by festivals in terms of the rate of tickets, number of tickets sold and the travel expense which a visitor is likely to spend. The local government receives special attention during festival seasons. A festival attracts investors, tourists, participants, sponsors as well media and this will finally lend more profit to the local government. The 2003 national survey of the state of affairs in cultural life shows that 10 million people participated and were among the age group between 14-70. The economically consolidated country takes more chance in festivals in a large amount.

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

The Impact of European Influence on the Sioux and Iroquois Nations Essay

The Impact of European Influence on the Sioux and Iroquois Nations - Essay Example They had an intricate democratic system of government within the confederacy. The Iroquois were divided into 3 different clans: the bear, the wolf and the turtle. These clans were not segregated from one another; rather, they were a support network to others within the same clan providing lodging and food for one another while on hunting trips. This support system allowed the trade patterns of the Iroquois to encompass hundreds of miles. The Iroquois society was closely tied to the natural environment. Villages were primarily located near waterways as the canoe was a primary mode of transportation. The women were responsible for planting and harvesting of their staple vegetables: corn, beans and squash. The men hunted deer and bear and fished, providing meat for the family. The land of the Iroquois was rich in a variety of natural resources which were traded within the Nation as well as to the Plains Indians to the west and the tribes to the south. Some of the more important trade it ems included quartzite, copper, jasper and flint. The Northern Plains was home to the Sioux Nation (Oceti Sakowin). Their land was vast, mostly consisting of open plains. Family was central to the Sioux. Mutual respect between the sexes was evident in their daily lives. Unlike the Iroquois to the east, the Sioux tribe was nomadic, following buffalo herds which were their primary source of meat.

Solvency ratio indicates Essay Example for Free

Solvency ratio indicates Essay The solvency The solvency ratio indicates whether a company’s cash flow is sufficient to meet its short-term and long-term liabilities. The lower a companys solvency ratio, the greater the probability that it will default on its debt obligations. Current ratio The ratio is mainly used to give an idea of the companys ability to pay back its short-term liabilities (debt and payables) with its short-term assets (cash, inventory, receivables). The higher the current ratio, the more capable the company is of paying its obligations. A ratio under 1 suggests that the company would be unable to pay off its obligations if they came due at that point. While this shows the company is not in good financial health, it does not necessarily mean that it will go bankrupt as there are many ways to access financing but it is definitely not a good sign. Current ratios for Sports UK For year 2012 For year 2011 Acid test ratio A stringent indicator that determines whether a firm has enough short-term assets to cover its immediate liabilities without selling inventory. The acid-test ratio is far more strenuous than the working capital ratio, primarily because the working capital ratio allows for the inclusion of inventory assets. Acid test ratio for Sports UK For year 2012 For year 2011 Performance ratio Calculates a measure of a specific aspect of performance, which might involve things which you can attach a number to, or an indicator that something did or did not happen in the requited way. Ratios are very good way to measure them using only a financial record. This record bellows shows performance of sports UK. 2011 Stock turn over= 72215 = 3.05 times 23611 2012 Stock turn over= 23611 x 365 = 119.3 days 72215 2011 debt collection period = 9024 x 365 = 962 days 34212 2012 debt collection period = 9098 x 365 = 904 days 36696 2012 asset turnover= 153487 = 0.64 237028 2011 asset turnover= 159921 = 0.73 219013 Profitability ratios Measures that indicate how well a firm is performing in terms of its ability to generate profit. Those ratios measure financial metrics that are used to assess a businesss ability to generate earnings as compared to its expenses and other relevant costs incurred during a specific period of time. For most of these ratios, having a higher value relative to a competitors ratio or the same ratio from a previous period is indicative that the company is doing well. Profitability ratios of Sports UK for 2011 Gross profit margin =81272 x 100 =52.95 153487 Net profit percentage = 6741 x 100 = 43.9 153487 ROC E= 10753 x 100 = 21.9 49097 Profitability ratios of Sports UK for 2012 Gross profit margin =83199 x 100 =52.02 159921 Net profit percentage = 6742 x 100 = 39.0 159921 ROC E= 10310 x 100 = 20.9 49227

Monday, October 14, 2019

Factors that affect employee motivation

Factors that affect employee motivation Motivation has to do with the understanding of the reasons why human beings act the way they do. It is said to be the study of psychology and is concerned with explaining all forms of human behaviours (Phil Gorman, 2004). Motivation is a very important aspect of psychology that tries to explain why humans or animals act in a certain manner (David A.H, 1995). Motivation studies have to do with the study of the Human psychology and behavioural patterns, it is an attempt to explain why and what the reasons are for actions we take. Mitchell (1982) suggests that the term motivation represents those psychological process that cause the awakening, direction and persistence of voluntary actions that are goal oriented. It is a psychological process resulting from the corresponding interaction between the individual and the environment that affects a persons choices, effort and persistence (Gary P. L and Christopher T, 2006). Motivation seeks to explain the why of behaviour (Phil Gorman, 2004). When we ask why a person or animal behaves in a particular manner, we are essentially asking about motivation (Mook, 1996). Motivation has generally been related to the need to achieve specific goals. It is concerned with goal-directed behaviours that pushes us towards certain actions and not others and is also the complex process that moves individuals towards some goals (Phil Gorman, 2004). Robbins (1993) defined motivation as the willingness to exert high levels of effort toward organisational goals, conditioned by the efforts and ability to satisfy some personal needs. According to David A. H (1995), Motivation examines two aspects of behaviour; the direction of behaviour those concerned with the influences which cause specific actions in humans and the intensity of behaviour concerned with the strength of behaviour. It is concerned with what causes specific actions, the reasons for actions we undertake and what determines the intensity of such action. Two individuals could be motivated towards a specific goal, say passing an exam. They will both be motivated to read, but the degree or intensity of motivation will usually not be the same for both individuals. Motivation studies are undertaken in order to explain the onset, the direction, the intensity and the persistence of behaviour directed towards the attainment of one or more goals or objectives (Mark R. Z ,2006). So many authors have written and established various motivation theories. The following chapters in this review will discuss on the various motivation theories and contributions of renowned writers in the field of motivation studies. MOTIVATION THEORIES MAJOR CONCEPTS AND CONTRIBUTIONS. ABRAHAM H. MASLOWS HIERARCHY OF NEEDS THEORY This theory advocates that all individuals are born with natural needs and if these needs are not fulfilled, the individual will be motivated to act in a manner that will enable him satisfy them. Maslow A.H (1954) suggests that all individuals have a series of human needs which are prioritised on an ascending scale, with basic physiological survival needs at the bottom and the more psychological individual needs at the top. Maslow (1954)s Hierarchy of needs stems from Physiological needs (survival), Safety needs, Social needs, Esteem needs and Self-actualization at the top. According to this theory, humans have gone beyond the need of only basic survival needs but are now driven towards greater achievements and high needs up till self actualization. Maslow (1954)s theory also assumes that these needs are activated in a sequential order starting from the bottom and a higher need emerging when the lower need has been satisfied and that after a need has been satisfied it ceases to dominate behaviour. Physiological needs: These are the basic biological needs of man to survive. These needs are food, water, shelter etc. Maslow (1954) believes that humans are likely to be motivated by physiological needs rather than any other need. Once this needs have been satisfied, he is then motivated by the next level set of needs. Safety needs: This refers to the need for security, freedom from fear and anxiety, need for stability and protection. Maslow (1954) suggests that this safety needs are mostly apparent in chaotic societies and when there is a stable, smooth running and good society, this need will not be so desired. Social needs: This is the need for love and social belonging. When these needs are not satisfied, individuals will do all in their power to get affection from family and friends (Maslow, 1954) Esteem needs: This refers to the need for prestige and recognition from others. It refers to the need for development, maintenance of self-respect and respect from others (David A.H, 1995). Self actualization: This is the individual need of achieving ones full capability. It is the satisfaction of reaching what the individual believes to be his/her full potential. Maslow (1954) however, was of the view that very few people manage to satisfy the highest set of needs such as self actualization. Some strengths of the theory; Theory acknowledges that all individuals have in-born natural needs and when these needs are not satisfied the individual is compelled to act in a manner that will enable him satisfy these needs. He has been able to combine both physiological and psychological needs in his hierarchy of needs theory. Physiological having to do with the innate needs and instinctive drives to satisfy these needs in the body. While psychological needs stem from cognitive conscious assessment before actions are taken. David A.H (1995) noted that the ascending hierarchy of needs is not a one way process, if lower needs become unsatisfied, the individual will go back towards satisfying those lower needs. The theory also suggests that the hierarchy does not apply rigidly to all individuals and some individuals may seek to satisfy some higher needs at the expense of lower ones (Maslow. 1954) Pointed out below are some weaknesses of the theory; Phil Gorman (2004) pointed out that the theory doesnt seem to take account of the possibility that people who make small achievements in their lives may feel satisfied and fulfilled believing that they have truly achieved their full potential. He suggests that this may be due to restrictions placed upon them by their social background. The theory does not consider that other factors such as environment and society can influence the individual to act in a particular manner. According to Stanworth and Curran (1973) the theory ignores the way the culture of a society and its subcultures, structure the aspirations and expectations of individuals and groups. Ivan T. R, et al (1992) bares the opinion that Maslows theory barely touches on the role of environmental factors in the development of his hierarchy. The theory is difficult to apply in some situations. Stanworth and Curran (1973) also pointed out that most people who set up businesses would seem to be satisfying the higher level of needs in Maslows theory and going into a business is quite a risky venture. This means they are more concerned about a higher need of opening a business than a lower need, security and risk of having a business. HERZBERG F.W HYGIENE THEORY This theory is primarily concerned with motivation at the work place. According to Herzberg et al (1959) there are basically two sets of factors that influence behaviour; Hygiene Factors (dissatisfiers) and Motivators (satisfiers) Hygiene factors (dissatisfiers) These are factors that do not satisfy the individuals but only keep them from being dissatisfied. The presence of these factors in a work place will mean the individuals will not be unsatisfied but they will not be motivated either. These factors include, good working conditions, good salary, supervision, security, relationship with peers, company policy and administration. Most of these factors are classified as being extrinsic (David A.H, 1995). Motivators (satisfiers) These are those factors that actually motivate the individuals in the work place. They give the individual a feeling of self satisfaction and achievement. These factors are essentially internal and examples of these motivators are need for recognition, personal development and advancement and the need for growth. These motivators are related to the content of the job that allows the individual employee to develop their occupation as a source of personal growth. Employees will be motivated with such factors as they allow them satisfy the need for self actualization (Herzberg et al, 1959). Part of the strengths of this theory is that just like Maslows theory, Herzberg et al (1959) believes that all human beings have physiological needs that can be satisfied with money e.g. Food and water and psychological needs such as the need for self-development and self-actualization. While a major weakness is that Herzberg has also neglected the influence of the environment and societal background as possible motivators. Some of his hygiene factors such as good salary which he suggests will only prevent an individual from being dissatisfied, in some case can actually provide motivation to the individual (David A.H, 1995). McGREGOR DOUGLAS. -THEORY X AND Y McGregor (1960), suggest that there is a direct relation between the way managers treat their workers and workers motivation. McGregor believes there are two major approaches to the management of people and they have to do with a managers view on workers attitude towards work. He formulated the theories X and Y. Theory X In this theory, management treats workers with little or no respect. The attitude of managers towards workers in this theory is based on: The belief that the average human being dislikes work and will avoid it if possible. That most people have to be controlled, forced, directed and punished to get them to put adequate efforts towards the achievement of organisation objectives. That the average human, prefers to be directed wish to avoid responsibility and wants security above all (Evans D, 1990). Theory X is patronizing and makes no allowance for workers individualism. It is based on aspects of management such as discipline and control (David A.H, 1995). Theory Y This theory concentrates on delegation, decentralization, participation and consultation. The characteristics of management here are as follows: External control and the threat of punishment are not the only means of bringing out efforts towards achieving organisation objectives. People are committed to objectives in proportion to the rewards associated with achieving the objectives. That the average human being learns, under proper conditions not only to accept but to seek responsibility (David A.H, 1995). The theory encourages participative management and suggests that for workers to be motivated it is necessary to allow them use their skills within the work place. This will make them feel involved as part of the organisation. ALDERFERS EXISTENCE RELATEDNESS AND GROWTH THEORY (ERG) This theory advocates that in the attempt to achieve individual satisfaction, people are motivated to act in a specific manner (Aldefer C.P, 1972). He suggests that satisfaction relies on the fulfilment of natural needs such as existence, relatedness and growth. Individuals constantly interact with their environment which as an effect in their behaviour. He believes that these 3 sets of needs are able to exist simultaneously and can be satisfied in a flexible order. Existence needs: These needs are concerned with physiological and material factors related to survival such as hunger, thirst, salary and working conditions. Relatedness: This has to do with the need to relate with others in the society. Individuals are motivated to seek satisfaction in their social relationships. Growth needs: This refers to creating the optimum use of existing capacities and the development of new capacities. Satisfaction of growth needs depends on the individual developing to their full potential (Alderfer C.P, 1972). This theory does suggest a rigid hierarchical structure and does not propose that an individual will try to satisfy one set of needs at a time (David A.H, 1995). McCLELLANDS NEED FOR ACHIEVEMENT THEORY This theory is also based on three innate needs which are of optimum importance. They are the need for achievement, affiliation and power (McClelland, 1961). Robbins (1993) believes that those who have strong drives to succeed are searching for personal achievements rather than rewards. They have the drive to improve on better ways of doing things. Need for achievement (N.arch): This can be described as the need for success and high standards of personal excellence (David A.H, 1995). It is the drive to achieve success. Need for affiliation: This is the need for a good relationship with other individuals. Need for power: This is the need to want to influence and exert some level of control over others. McClelland (1961) believes that all individuals have each of these needs although the level of intensity of the needs varies between each person. This means that some people might have high needs of some and low of the others. According to McClelland et al (1953), any attempt to understand a persons motivation to achieve must take into account both the personality and situation the individual finds him or herself in. He also suggested that the desire for achievement in a society could be measured from the kind of achievement imagery presented to the children (McClelland, 1961). Stanjworth Curran (1973), pointed out that McClellands theory considers differences between groups in motivational pattern and relates this to social and cultural factors. EDWARD TOLMANSS EXPECTANCY THEORY Tolman E.C (1948), theory suggests that the motivation of individuals is not based on needs or drives but is determined by the presence of goals and the expectancy that their behaviour will lead to the attainment of this goal. He believes that human beings will be motivated in a specific manner when they are convinced that the results of the behaviour will be desired by them. The theory basically harps on individual motivation and the influence of the society. Tolmans theory recognises that people have different types of needs, desires and goals and proposes that the amount of effort people are prepared to put in task depends on whether the effort will produce better performance (Ivan T.R et al, 1992). VROOM V.H EXPECTANCY, VALENCE INSRRUMENTALITY THEORY This theory stems from Tolmans expectancy theory but in addition to expectancy Vroom added valence and instrumentality as determinants of motivation. Expectancy: Vroom Edward (1970) suggests that expectancy is a momentary belief concerning the likelihood that a particular act will be followed by a particular outcome. Instrumentality: This assumes that the behaviour of individuals is influenced by the degree to which additional desired goals can be attained as the direct result of such behaviour (Vroom Edward, 1970). The theory suggests that the amount of effort people are willing to put in a task depends on whether the performance when achieved will pay off in terms of outcomes (Ivan T.R et al, 1992). Valence: This refers to the value of the outcomes. Vroom Edward (1970) suggests that individuals value some outcomes highly and hence desire them and can value outcomes lowly and try to avoid them. He states that we are motivated by the fact that we expect specific behaviours to result in specific outcomes and that such outcomes will have a degree of valence. The main motivation points of Vroom according to David A.H (1995) are The expectancy that specific behaviour will result in that attainment of a specific goal, the value of the desired goal and the degree to which such behaviour is instrumental to the attainment of other additional goals. EDWIN A. LOCKE GOAL THEORY Basically this theory looks at motivation from the angle of motivating the employer. It suggests that when specific goals and targets are set out for individuals, they become motivated in order to achieve the goals. This theory has identified that human beings act in a specific way when they are faced with a particular goal (Locke E.A, 1968). The highlights of this theory are that difficult goals should be set because they result in higher performance, employees should be part of the goal setting and that there should be adequate feedback with guidance and advice (Locke Latham, 1984). Locke pointed out that incentives such as money, participation, competition and praise can influence goals. According to Ivan T. Robertson et al (1992) goals have been demonstrated to affect performance through four mechanisms: Directing attention and action. Mobilizing effort Increasing task persistence. Motivating the search for appropriate performance strategies. Ivan T. Robertson et al (1992) also added two goal attributes that could be relevant for motivation. Goal content the level of goal difficulty and how specific it is and Goal intensity strength and commitment attached to the goal. RECENT IDEAS ON MOTIVATION THEORIES The recent theories on motivation havent really come up with any new idea very different from what other older writers on the subject have written; instead they have built on it to make it more adaptable to the changing environment and human perspective. SHEILA RITCHIE AND PETER MARTIN 12 FACTORS OF MOTIVATION They gathered a list of factors that affected motivation in the work place and finally trimmed them down to 12 basic factors. Their observation method was to create a self assessment profile which was developed in other to find out what motivated people and also to weight the factors against each other. Their result was a unique motivational profile for each person which gave the relative strength of each factor when compared to each other. The 12 factors were developed from older theories of motivation (Sheila R Peter M, 1999). The 12 factors of motivation pointed out by Sheila R Peter M (1999) where: Money and tangible rewards: This is where money and tangible result is the overwhelming driving force. Where money is the motivator, people so inclined will be ready to tolerate any amount of boredom, work long hours. Undertake repetitive task over periods of months and years and even put work before family. People who have high money needs will regard their physical conditions at work with complete indifference. This factor relates to Tolman and Vrooms expectancy theory where they suggest that individuals act in a particular way when they expect a kind of reward that, they value (Vroom Edward, 1970). Physical condition: In their theory, physical conditions have to do with those physical factors that could motivate in a work place. This touches on the work space, work environment and how comfortable it is. Some people could be motivated by the mare fact that they work in a very comfortable and beautiful environment. However, they pointed out that physical factors in relation to other motivating factors are not seen as very important. Structure: This has to do with the organisational structure and administration of a work place. They believe that people with differing structure requirements need to be motivated in significantly different ways, the right approach motivates and the wrong approach will de-motivate. They suggest that very high structured people need to know where they stand. They need to know the rules and be assured that they have followed the right procedures. Anxiety may be the root cause of their desire for structure and may find a lack of structure very stressful. Some features of structure include timing, rules and procedures, societys norm and expectation, planning, good communication and information circulation etc (Sheila R Peter M, 1999). People Contact: People with this factor enjoy dealing with other people and derive comfort and satisfaction from having a number of others around them. They would prefer to work with other people nearby rather than on their own. Most are likely to be highly tolerant with the rowdiness that working with others entail and will even perform better in such situation (Sheila R Peter M, 1999). This in a way is related to Maslows hierarchys third stage that refers to the need for love and human relationship. Relationship: This has to do with those motivated by the need for relationships. They suggest that this need can be satisfied outside the work place but for organisations based on commitment and trust between employees will need long term relationships between employees. According to Sheila R Peter M (1999), this particular need usually depends on the organisation in question. Organisations were members of staff are interchanged, work shifts and level of skills are low, will not be in need of long term relationships. This is also related to Maslows need for love and relationship needs. Recognition: This factor harps on the need for attention and praise. Sheila R Peter M (1999) pointed out that high recognition needs can make people so dependent on others for approval, that in occasions where there is no recognition, they are unable to act independently. People with high need of this will always take care that they meet expectation. Achievement: Sheila R Peter M (1999) suggests that a strong characteristics of those with a high achievement drive is that they which to do things on their own. People with this need can find themselves voluntarily working long hours and driving themselves hard. They have to be satisfied that the targets they are aiming are achievable. High achievers are likely to be motivated, if they are not achieving they are likely to feel worthless. They will do whatever it takes to achieve their goals. Motivating such people has to start with the definition of the target (Sheila R Peter M, 1999). Power and Influence: This is the need to possess power and influence others. The ability to lead and influence people used properly according to Sheila R Peter M (1999) is one of the most desirable human qualities. The difference of this factor from others is that it involves people impinging directly on other people. They pointed out that here is also an element of risk that other people might not react favourably. Variety and change: This is the need to always want to do something different. This kind of people we need stimulation to move on to something different with boredom setting in after an initial discharge of energy. These individuals cope better where there is constant demand for new energy and new initiatives. Sheila R Peter M (1999), pointed out that the problem with this factor is that since the stimulation to change does not always arise, there is always the likely hood of uncompleted business or no motivation. Creativity: This concerns the original idea and the development of the new out of the old. They believe that the creative drive has a very important part to play in the organisation. They advocate that those who have the need for creativity to be given an enabling environment for them to operate (Sheila R Peter M, 1999). Self development: This factors shows that people who have high self development needs will judge their work in terms of what it does for them. These individuals are not motivated except it has something to do with their self development. Motivating such people requires an understanding of what they are looking for and an ability to relate what the organisation requires to what the need (Sheila R Peter M, 1999). Interest and usefulness: Sheila R Peter M (1999) believes that the need for job interest or usefulness is higher on average than the need for any other motivator. They stated that Professional and managerial people are more motivated for example by feeling of usefulness or interest than for opportunities to influence, achieve or be recognised. This factor suggests that the work place has to be structured in such a way that the employees find it useful and interesting and that in the absence of this factor, all other motivators will not work to full potential. (Sheila R Peter M, 1999). These 12 factors have covered in a way most motivating factors talked about by early researchers in the topic. REISS AND HAVERCAMPS SENSITIVITY REINFORCEMENT THEORY According to Reiss and Havercamp (1996), sensitivity theory suggests that individuals differ in both the types of reinforcement they desire and in the type of reinforcement they need to satisfy them and that people crave too much love, attention, acceptance, companionship or too much of some other fundamental reinforce are at the risk for peculiar behaviour because normative behaviour does not produce the desired amount of reinforcement. This theory generally postulates the idea of individual differences in reinforcement effectiveness. In discussing the theory, Reiss and Havercamp (1996) defined the concept of reinforcement sensitivity as an individual difference in the reinforcing effectiveness of a fundamental motivator. They mention three key phases of this theory: Reinforcing effectiveness, Individual difference and fundamental motivation. The high points of the theory according to Reiss and Havercamp (1996) are that the theory identifies individual differences in desired amount of reinforcement that is individual differences in rates of satisfaction, as an understudied and potentially important variable, suggesting that because people spend considerable time and energy seeking the reinforcement they desire, these individual differences may predict some person-environment interactions. Secondly, the theory suggests the need for research to identify the fundamental sources of motivation. And finally, that a new theory in the development of psychopathology is suggested based on the assumption that different individuals not only desire different types of reinforcement but also desire widely varying amounts of each fundamental reinforcer. CONCLUSION APPLICATION OF MOTIVATION THEORIES IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY The Built Environment and Construction industry is a labour intensive industry; therefore the application of motivation theories cant be ignored. The nature of the construction industry is different in the sense that it offers jobs which appeal to many people because of their interesting, challenging and rewarding nature (Birchall D.W 1977). According to Olomolaiye Ogunlana (1988) construction operatives in developing countries are faced with many problems unlike those experienced by their counterparts in developed countries. They believe the construction environment is different in terms of site organisation, quality of supervision and availability of production resources, so also is their socio-economic environment. This environment produces a different worker probably motivated by different factors. In this situation, even when we have highly motivated labour force, it is not right to assume that their motivation will lead to higher productivity. Inability to produce as expected, could lead to frustration and de-motivation. Essentially, extrinsic factors such as good working condition, availability working materials and resources can go a long way in motivation construction workers in developing countries. In the construction industry like every other industry productivity is paramount. The motivation theories discussed in the earlier chapters have shown that productivity of workers is directly related to motivation. When workers are highly motivated the will put more efforts in order to achieve self-fulfilment from doing so, and thereby resulting in higher productivity (Lam and Tang, 2003). Lam and Tang (2003), also added that motivation theories such as Maslows hierarchy of needs, Herzbergs Hygiene theory, McGregors X and Y theories, Vroomss expectancy theory, etc. are often applied to increase productivity in construction projects. Borcherding and Gamer (1981) in their view, have pointed out that there are certain factors that will cause dissatisfaction amongst construction workers. The factors include material availability, tool availability, overcrowded areas, inspection delays, incompetence of foremen, etc. and they also suggested that factors like good craftsman relationship, good orientation program, pay. Recognition, defined goals and projects well planned can motivate construction employees. In the application of motivation theories to the construction industry, Maslow and Herzbergs theories form the basis. Once a worker satisfies his/her physiological needs, he will strive towards satisfying safety and social needs. And then later on seek to satisfy the needs of social belonging and self-actualization. In order to satisfy the construction workers physiological needs and increase motivation a suitable salary scheme and employment policy should be established (Lam and Tang, 2003). Lam and Tang (2000) also noted that though eccentric rewards such as salary and financial benefits do not motivate employees to high work performance, they could lower employee dissatisfaction. Construction companies should maintain a high level of security, health and safety policy at work environment in order to satisfy the safety needs of workers. Effective communication will also give them a g=feeling that their jobs are secured. For social and relationship needs to be satisfied in the construction industry, induction programs for new employees should be organised to introduce them to company objectives, other colleagues, the facilities and the working environment. The concepts above will motivate the construction workers in the short term. Lam Tang (2003) also suggested that to motivate the construction employees on the long term, the below listed approaches will come in handy: Proper resource management and job design. Life-long learning programs. Open door communication. Effective rewarding systems. Diverse and contingency style of leadership. Empowering and valuing construction employees. Continual assessments and improvement of motivation programs. In summary the study and application of motivational theories in management is a very essential tool for all managers in all works of life, especially when there are direct interactions with human beings.